Louisiana borders the Gulf Coast and has many beautiful white-sand beaches. From gulf waters to lakeside beaches, there’s a lot of swimming, sunbathing, and water activities to enjoy in the Pelican State. Louisiana beaches offer the perfect vacation or day trip!
Whether you’re looking to take your beach trip to a popular destination by the sea or you want a tranquil getaway, there’s something for everyone. Let’s check out 15 incredible beaches in Louisiana!
1. North Beach, Lake Charles
Interested in visiting the only white sand beach inland beach between Texas and Florida? North Beach in Lake Charles is the place to go! This is an excellent beach for all kinds of beachgoers looking for a variety of activities.
There’s plenty of family fun to have at North Beach. Enjoy picnicking at one of several picnic tables or benches. The sandy beach is the perfect spot to build sandcastles and take walks. While swimming is a popular activity, you may spot an alligator in the waters.
You can find several conveniences, including public restrooms and showers. North Beach is a great place to visit all year long.
When you’re looking for activities around Lake Charles, there are several popular parks nearby – The Veteran’s Memorial Park, the Millennium Park, and the September 11th Memorial.
2. Holly Beach, Cameron Parish
Holly Beach, also known as “Cajun Riviera,” is known for its simplicity. The Cajun Rivera is a thirty-mile stretch of coastlines and marshes that extends across southern Louisiana. It’s home to several popular beaches.
Holly Beach is a bird watcher’s paradise. It’s also a popular beach for sunbathing, swimming, and crabbing. Anglers also like fishing on the shore of Holly Beach. Charter companies near the beach also offer deep-sea fishing opportunities.
In Cameron Parish, visitors also enjoy visiting the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge, exploring nature trails, and visiting the local children’s museum.
3. Cypremort Point Beach, Cypremort Point
Cypremort Point Beach is a half-mile stretch of manmade beach located within a state park. The park is only a couple of hours from many popular Lousiana cities, including Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
Cypremort is a great place for swimming, fishing, and relaxing. If you’re interested in water activities, there are also adventures to enjoy like boating, paddling, and windsurfing. There are also opportunities for fishing. Near the beach, you can find picnic areas, restrooms, and showers.
There are also a ton of activities to enjoy around the park, too. There are hiking trails where you can come across local wildlife, including deer, foxes, and even alligators!
If you’re looking to spend a few days, the park has six cabins by the water as well as sites to pitch a tent. While dogs aren’t allowed at the beach area, leashed pets are welcomed throughout the park.
4. Rutherford Beach, Creole
Rutherford Beach is in central Cameron Parish, south of Lake Charles. Once the mouth of the Mermentau River, it’s now a picturesque beach that offers a peaceful getaway.
Visitors enjoy walking along the shore with their pets, fishing, and sea-combing. The beach also allows cars on the sand and primitive camping. Enjoy a night by the crashing waves with a bonfire.
There are several conveniences, including public girls and picnic areas. Bathrooms, showers, and ample parking are all nearby, too.
5. Elmer’s Island Beach, Grand Isle
The beach at Elmer’s Island Wildlife Refuge is one of the best beaches in Louisiana to experience vast nature. Habitats including a saltwater marsh, beaches, and a mangrove create homes for a variety of wildlife.
Walk along the beach to do some shell collecting or relax on the sand. Elmer’s Island Wildlife Refuge also features a 400-foot fishing pier for catching fish and crab.
If you’re interested in spending the night, camping is allowed on the beach. Sunset views are a can’t-miss!
6. Fontainebleau State Park Beach, Mandeville
Fontainebleau State Park features a sandy beach along the shores of Lake Pontchartrain. The park is only minutes from the beautiful, nearby towns of Mandeville and Lacombe.
The 2,800-acre park offers endless activities for visitors. Fontainebleau State Park Beach is a hotspot for sunning and strolling, and guests can watch sailboats drift by from the bank on most days. Near the beach, you can find restrooms, showers, and picnicking spots.
A biking and hiking trail runs throughout the park and connects the beach to overnight camping and glamping sites. Hang out with wildlife, including eagles, turtles, and woodpeckers in Fontainebleau State Park.
For the picturesque views, be sure to check out the pier – which is also a great place for walking pets. While dogs aren’t allowed on the beach, they’re welcomed in many other areas throughout the park.
7. Grand Isle Beach, Grand Isle
Just two hours from New Orleans and four hours from Jackson, Mississippi, Grand Isle Beach is an excellent spot for a long weekend getaway. It’s located in one of Louisiana’s best small towns and on the only barrier island in the state. Grand Isle Beach is a long stretch of beach – about seven miles – with multiple access points, including one within Grand Isle State Park.
If you visit the beach from the state park, you can find a large fishing pier, cultivated nature trails, and camping. While the beach doesn’t offer very warm water and riptides do occur, visitors do enjoy swimming. It’s also a great place to go crabbing.
Grand Isle Beach is pet-friendly. There are also public restrooms and showers available nearby. Regular parking, as well as recreational vehicle parking, is accessible.
If you’re looking to spend some time at Grand Isle, visitors can pitch tents and build bonfires on the sand.
8. White Sands Lake Day Beach, Franklinton
White Sands Lake Day Beach is in Enon, Louisiana, north of Folsom in Washington Parish. The beach is open Tuesday through Sunday, but the season ends annually on Labor Day. The best way to enjoy White Sands is to reserve a cabana for a fun-filled day!
Some guests bring their own beach blankets or pop-up tents, too. The beach is a privately owned recreational park, with basic amenities, including parking and restrooms. Guests also have access to inflatable water slides and floating trampolines.
If you’re looking to get active on the water, White Sands Lake Day Beach rents out kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. When fun in the sun has you feeling hungry, there’s a concession stand on the beach to grab snacks and drinks from.
If you’re looking to spend the night nearby, there are several campgrounds and cabins in the area.
9. South Toledo State Park Beach, Anacoco
South Toledo State Park is located on several small bluffs that extend to the Toledo Bend Reservoir. Visitors enjoy the natural surroundings, wildlife, and clean beach water.
The lake area is ideal for fishing, kayaking, swimming, and catching rays. There’s also a public boat ramp.
Near the water, you can find places for a picnic, restrooms, and nature trails. A 3,000 foot surfaced trail offers incredible views and access to many parts of the park.
If you want to stay awhile, there are plenty of camping and glamping opportunities.
10. Little Florida Beach, Cameron
Little Florida Beach is a small, peaceful beach off the beaten path along the Creole Trail. There’s a driving path via marshes and swamps that highlights the region’s continued cultural relevance.
The beach is a simple place to relax, swim, and relax in the sunshine. You can even bring your pet along. There aren’t amenities at or near the beach, so be sure to come prepared! You can drive on the beach, which offers excellent convenience if you want to load up everything you need for an incredible day by the sea.
Visitors often find that Little Florida Beach’s neighborhood locals are welcoming and love to make friends.
After a trip to Little Florida Beach, the nearby Peveto Woods Sanctuary, a forty-acre sanctuary for migratory birds, is a place well worth checking out.
11. Bogue Chitto State Park Beach, Franklinton
Bogue Chitto State Park is a dream for nature lovers! Experience diverse nature on one of Louisiana’s most picturesque river systems. For a day by the water, there are actually 11 lakes and a river that offer tons of adventures.
Enjoy fishing, kayaking, swimming, and canoeing. There’s also a water playground that younger children especially love.
Bogue Chitto State Park beaches are the perfect places to take a stroll and explore the wildlife. You can also bring your pet along!
Away from the water, visitors can explore hiking trails. There’s also a brand new, 14-mile mountain biking trail. The park also features a visitors center with public access restrooms and picnic pavilions. And, if there’s a golfer in your group, there’s also an 18-hole golf course within the park.
With so many beach experiences and other activities, many visitors stay awhile. There are camping and glamping opportunities that make it easy to spend the night at Bogue Chitto State Park.
12. Jimmie Davis State Park Beach, Chatham
Jimmie Davis State Park is located on a peninsula on Caney Lake. The park boasts a variety of freshwater activities and so much more!
Whether you’re looking to fish, take the boat out, or swim, you can find it at Jimmie Davis State Park. Looking to get adventurous? Try out waterskiing or go kayaking. Some of the best parts of hanging out on the beaches at Jimmie Davis are the forest views and bird watching opportunities.
Away from the lake, you can find restrooms, washing stations, and picnic pavilions. There are also trails to explore and a playground for little ones to enjoy.
If you enjoy camping, there are tent sites and cabins within the park to extend your stay.
13. Port Fourchon Beach, Golden Meadow
Enjoy surfing, white sands, and so much more at Port Fourchon Beach. This beautiful beach is located on the Gulf Coast and is the only surf beach in Louisiana. While hurricanes and oil spills have impacted the area, it’s undergoing active recovery and redevelopment. There’s planned reconstruction of birdwatching areas, nature trails, and a public access pier to make this excellent beach even better.
You can access some areas of Port Fourchon by car right on the sand, and other parts require parking and walking to your desired location. Once you arrive, it’s a great place to spend the day surfing, fishing, and swimming.
If you’re looking to bring your pet along, Port Fourchon Beach welcomes it! It’s open from sunrise to sunset all year long.
14. Wateredge Beach Resort Beach, Grand Isle
If you’re looking for a no-frills resort that’s convenient to the beach and offers scenic views, Wateredge Beach Resort is the perfect spot! It’s located on the Gulf Coast and offers guests private beach access.
Lined with palm trees, Wateredge Beach Resort is located by the pristine Grande Isle Beach. Enjoy a secluded area by the water where you can go fishing, swimming, and crabbing.
While the resort isn’t fancy, they do hold occasional events and have a well-equipped kitchen for long stays. There is plenty to do in the surrounding area including dining, taking charter boats offshore, and visiting the nearby Grand Isle State Park.
15. Shell Beach, St. Bernard
Shell Beach is located near Lake Borgne, about 18 miles southeast of Chalmette, Louisiana. The saltwater beach is in an inlet lagoon filled with the waters from the Gulf of Mexico. Few hotels or shops operate in Shell Beach, so many visitors pack well and expect to be self-sufficient during the trip. It’s an excellent location to get away and relax for a few days.
Shell Beach is a great place to sunbathe, fish, and swim. It’s also one of the popular beaches for taking the boat out. And, of course, there are also shells to collect on this small beach.
From the shore, visitors can see Fort Proctor and travel to the port by boat. While in the area, travelers also enjoy visiting the nearby Katrina Memorial.
Final Thoughts
Lousiana beaches vary considerably, offering the perfect retreat no matter what you’re looking for. Whether you appreciate a casual day of soaking up the sun and swimming or an active adventure with hiking, camping, or watersports, the best beaches in Louisiana have it all. We hope this list inspired you to take your next trip to the water!
